Page 32 of One Sweet Lie
“You should’ve picked her up, so I wouldn’t have to do it. That’s what I hired you for, remember?”
“Did you miss the part where she literallytold meabout the class?”
“Are you calling my niece a liar?”
“I’m saying she must’ve misspoken.”
“Olivia?” He called out for her, and she rushed to his side.
“Yes, Uncle Brooks?”
“Did you tell Miss Hawthorne that you had a piano class until five o’clock today?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Not that I recall.”
This is officially WAR, little girl…
“Thank you for telling me the truth, Olivia,” he said to her. “You know how I feel about lies.”
She stuck her tongue out at me before walking away.
“Don’t let this happen again, Miss Hawthorne,” he said. “I hired you to make my life easier, and you’re already making it harder.”
“With all due respect, Mr. Dawson,” I said, not wanting to push things, “with the exception of this incident, what exactly have Imadeharder?”
He took one long look at me and stepped back. “I’ll be back home tonight.”
TEN (B)
PIERCE
Between the consultant who suggested offering free hand jobs with the first thousand tickets, to the tech bro who developed an app that would “instantly electrocute” any fan who booed, there was no idea worth trying when it came to making people believe in this franchise.
The Jets were a complete and utter joke, and we were the only ones who weren’t privy to the punchline.
Then again, the only thing that could turn things around was “winning.” But based on the full practice I’d watched today, that wasn’t happening soon.
“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” I muttered at my desk.
“You’re still here?” Denise stepped into my doorway. “Me and Brian thought you went home.”
“I did, but I came back,” I said. “I’m staying here for a while, so bring in whatever you two are working on tonight.”
“You sure about that?” she asked. “Isn’t today your new nanny’s first day?”
“It is.”
She crossed her arms. “Don’t you normally give them a half workday, so they’re not overwhelmed and want to quit?”
“I’m actually counting on her to quit.”
“What?”
“She’s fine, Denise.” I motioned for her to bring in the work. “She’s fine.”
“I’ll take your word for it, then.” She shrugged. “Be back in twenty.”
I opened my laptop and signed into the security cameras in the twins’ room. Scanning past the cloud and sky decor, I stopped when I saw Miss Hawthorne sitting on the nursery floor.